MALI-FRANCE-CONFLICT-QAEDA

Caption:A Malian Special Force soldier takes part on April 9, 2013, 105 kms north of the northeastern Malian city of Gao, in day two of Operation Gustav, a hunt for Islamist fighters in a valley in northern Mali and one of France's largest military operations during its three-month intervention in its former colony. Operation Gustav comes with France preparing to withdraw three-quarters of the 4,000 troops it deployed in January to block a feared advance on the Malian capital Bamako by Al Qaeda-linked insurgents. AFP PHOTO / JOEL SAGET (Photo credit should read JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)

Caption:

A Malian Special Force soldier takes part on April 9, 2013, 105 kms north of the northeastern Malian city of Gao, in day two of Operation Gustav, a hunt for Islamist fighters in a valley in northern Mali and one of France's largest military operations during its three-month intervention in its former colony. Operation Gustav comes with France preparing to withdraw three-quarters of the 4,000 troops it deployed in January to block a feared advance on the Malian capital Bamako by Al Qaeda-linked insurgents. AFP PHOTO / JOEL SAGET (Photo credit should read JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)

Rights-managedRights-managed products are licensed with restrictions on usage, such as limitations on size, placement, duration of use and geographic distribution. You will be asked to submit information concerning your intended use of the product, which will determine the scope of usage rights granted.

{{ title }}

Keywords

This image is subject to copyright. Getty Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this image or clip, and to seek damages for copyright violations. To learn more about copyright and Getty Images’ enforcement program, click here. Availability for this image cannot be guaranteed until time of purchase.

A Malian Special Force soldier takes part on April 9 105 kms north of... News PhotoArmy Soldier,City,Conflict,Day 2,Former,France,Gao City,Gao Region,Horizontal,Islam,Kilometre,Large,Mali,Military,Participant,ValleyPhotographer JOEL SAGETCollection: AFP 2013 AFPA Malian Special Force soldier takes part on April 9, 2013, 105 kms north of the northeastern Malian city of Gao, in day two of Operation Gustav, a hunt for Islamist fighters in a valley in northern Mali and one of France's largest military operations during its three-month intervention in its former colony. Operation Gustav comes with France preparing to withdraw three-quarters of the 4,000 troops it deployed in January to block a feared advance on the Malian capital Bamako by Al Qaeda-linked insurgents. AFP PHOTO / JOEL SAGET (Photo credit should read JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images)